FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR THE METROPOLITAN BRANCH TRAIL WASHINGTON, DC The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the lead agency, in conjunction with the District Department ofTransportation (DDOT) and in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), proposes the construction of a multi-use trail facility from Fort Totten to Takoma generally following the path of the Metro's Red Line. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), the FHWA and DDOT prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA). FHWA's Environmental Impact and Related Procedures indicate under §§771.117 Categorical Exclusions that the construction of bicycle or pedestrian lanes, path, and facilities is an action that meets the criteria to be considered a categorical exclusion. However, with consideration for the area of interest - NPS lands, this EA was prepared to be consistent with NPS NEPA requirements. This included analysis of the context, duration, and intensity of impacts related to the sections of the MBT that utilize NPS land as required by Director's Order 12: Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis and Decision-making (NPS 2001). This EA analyzed the potential impacts resulting from constructing and operating portions ofthe MBT on sections of land owned by the NPS within the area north of Fort Totten (Reservation 451 West), the area east of Fort Totten (Reservation 451 East), the Community Gardens (Reservation 497), and Tacoma Park (Reservation 531). The EA was released for agency and public review on November 15, 2010. Subsequently, a Final EA was prepared to fully address all agency and public comments received and identifies FHWAlDDOT's Preferred Alternative and options after consideration ofpublic and agency comments. Page 1 oflO The proposed action would result in the construction of a multi-use trail facility to provide safe non-motorized transportation and recreational opportunities to the residents and visitors of the District of Columbia (the District). The MBT will link people to jobs, schools, commercial and recreation areas and various Metro stations. The MBT will help to complete a regional network of trails by joining the Capital Crescent Trail in Silver Spring, the National Mall near Union Station and the proposed Fort Circle Parks trail. In addition, the proposed spur of the MBT at Fort Totten will form a link in the East Coast Greenway network oftrails. The project needs are a culmination of a decade of planning, research, and consensus building. The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and the Coalition for the Metropolitan Branch Trail (CMBT) produced the Metropolitan Branch Trail Concept Plan in 1999. The plan, endorsed by public officials, business and property owners and trail enthusiasts, detailed a trail intended to provide the residents ofWashington and their northern and eastern neighbors with an alternative to driving between the many communities of the Northeast quadrant. The MBT's proposed alignment intersects with seven Metro Stations, making it an effective facility for connecting neighborhood residents to mass transit. PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE AND OPTIONS Based on the impact analysis prepared by this EA, alternatives AI, Bl, CI and/or C2 are the environmentally preferred alternatives. These alternative alignments would best fulfill park responsibilities as trustee of this sensitive habitat; ensuring safety; healthful, productive, and aesthetically, and culturally pleasing surroundings; and attaining a wider range ofbeneficial uses of the environment without degradation, risk of health or safety, or other undesirable and unintended consequences. This EA evaluated three areas where the MBT would be located on or adjacent to NPS land, which included: • Area A - Area north ofFort Torten Page 2 of 10 • Area B- Prince George's County Spur (area east ofFort Totten) • Area C- Piney Branch Road (Takoma Park). Elements common to all alternatives include: The trail would be 10-12 feet wide where possible ifbuilt as a separated side path. Signage and trail markings, lighting, and call boxes would also be provided as needed for each segment of trail on park property, coordinated with NPS to meet NPS standards. In general, to avoid impacts to wildlife on NPS property, lighting in or around natural areas would be avoided or minimized and directed downward. All requests to increase lighting on NPS land would need to be individually considered (area by area, trail segment by segment) for the overall impacts on park lands. • Waysides with seating and shade are also proposed at appropriate locations, such as overlooking the Fort Totten Metro tunnel, at the DC/MD border in Takoma, to the east and west ofthe Community Gardens, and along the Spur. • The DDOT assumes all maintenance responsibility and costs for trail segments on park lands. • Education and interpretive measures would be implemented and could involve various efforts including directional signage to historic areas ofinterest along NPS lands. Preferred Area Al Alignment (Area north ofFort Totten) Area Al alignment begins at the Fort Totten Trash Transfer Station, proceeds along the tracks to NPS lands, then around Fort Totten Metro Station, along Ist Place to the intersection of Riggs Road, where it crosses at-grade, and up a widened sidewalk along Riggs Road beyond the retaining wall. It then proceeds from Riggs Road on the existing social path (NPS land) to Kennedy Street, on Kennedy and Ist Streets to Madison Street, on Ist Street or adjacent NPS land to New Hampshire Avenue, on McDonald Place to Blair Road, and on NPS land adjacent to Blair Road in the area ofthe Community Gardens to Oglethorpe Street. Preferred Area BI Alignment (Prince George's County Spur - east) Page 3 of 10 Area B1 alignment begins at the Fort Totten Metro Station and proceeds to South Dakota Avenue along 1st Place/Galloway Street. It then proposes a 10-12 foot hard surface trail along Gallatin Street toward the DC/MD border. At the DC/MD border a new 10-12 foot trail of approximately 220 feet would be constructed. This would connect Gallatin Street to the currently constructed Prince George's County trail in Maryland. Preferred Area C1 and/or C2 Alignment (eastern and western alignment in Takoma area) Eastern Alignment (Alternative C1): The eastern alignment would follow Eastern Avenue past Cady-Lee Mansion either on the western sidewalk or as an on-street bike lane (with sharrows). It would then cross Piney Branch Road at-grade. Western Alignment (Alternative C2): The western alignment would cross Piney Branch Road on a bridge to the west ofthe tracks - to be constructed - or descend to Piney Branch Road using a switchback alignment. Stairs on both sides ofPiney Branch Road are proposed. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT SELECTED In addition to evaluating the Preferred Alternatives, the EA and Final EA considered the No­ Action Alternative and three additional Alternatives under Area A (Alternatives A2, A3, A4), one additional Alternatives under Area B (Alternative B2), and one additional Alternative under Area C (Alternative C3). Further alternatives were considered but not retained for detailed analysis. Under the No Action Alternative, no MBT alignments would be developed on any NPS lands. The following provides a description ofeach proposed alternative considered but not selected for Area A, Area B, and Area C. Area A has four alternative alignments that cross NPS Reservations 451 West and 497, including the area north of Fort Totten and the Community Gardens, respectively. Reservation 451 W includes NPS land located in the reservation west ofthe CSX and Metro rail tracks. In general, Area A alignments all begin at the Fort Totten Trash Transfer Station, proceed along the tracks to NPS lands, then around Fort Totten Metro Station, along 1st Place to the intersection ofRiggs Page 4 of 10 Road, where they cross at-grade, and up a widened sidewalk along Riggs Road beyond the retaining wall. They then differ by how they reach their end point at the intersection of Oglethorpe Street and Blair Road. The following is a brief description of the key elements for each Area A2, Area A3, and Area A4 alignment alternative from Riggs Road north: • Alternative A2 is identical to alternative Al with the exception of the proposed trail section between Riggs Road and Madison Street. Instead of using the social path/Kennedy/1 st Street route, alternative A2 would proceed to Madison and Ist Streets via the wooded NPS land paralleling the CSX tracks. • Alternative A3 differs from alternative Al by proceeding down South Dakota Avenue (instead of McDonald Place) and on the service road through Community Gardens to Oglethorpe Street, then up to Blair Road on Oglethorpe Street. • Alternative A4, like alternative A2, would proceed through the wooded area on NPS land adjacent to the CSX tracks to Madison and I st Streets, then would proceed down South Dakota Avenue (instead of McDonald Place) and on the service road through Community Gardens to Oglethorpe Street, then up to Blair Road on Oglethorpe Street. Area B includes two alternative alignments that cross NPS Reservation 451 East, which includes NPS land east ofthe CSX and Metro rail tracks. In general, Area B alignment alternatives begin at the Fort Totten Metro Station and proceed to South Dakota Avenue along an alignment that will be determined at a future date. They then proceed to Gallatin Street and along or on Gallatin Street to the DC/MD border near the intersection ofGallatin Street and 16th Street. Both consist ofconstructing new trail for approximately 220 feet from Gallatin Street across NPS land to the Prince George's County Connector trail north ofSt Ann's driveway; however: • Alternative B2 proposes to construct/stripe and follow on-road bike lanes along Gallatin Street to the Prince George's County Border. Area C includes three alternative alignments that cross NPS Reservation 531.